PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

HEADLINES

Peabody man killed in house fire
Lifelong Peabody resident Keith Harsh, 80, died Friday in a fire at his house. Trisha Oursler has lived next-door to Harsh all of her life. On Friday, Oursler was taking a break from her job at Pop’s Diner when she had what was unknowingly her final encounter with Harsh.
Larsen fired from EMS
County commissioners fired paramedic Larry Larsen from Peabody’s ambulance crew Monday. An unscheduled executive session was tacked on to the published agenda, and Larsen was summoned to appear along with county attorney Susan Robson.
State may be investigating county EMS
Although a complaint lodged by now-fired Peabody paramedic Larry Larsen against county EMS director Brandy McCarty appears to have been adjudicated, the county EMS operation appears to be to subject on an ongoing state investigation. Meeting minutes from the Kansas Board of Emergency Medical Services suggest that after resolving Larsen’s complaint against McCarty, the board may have opened a larger investigation into overall EMS operations in the county.
'Rockman' speaks of his stones
If ever there was a patron saint of stones in Marion County, it would be Steve Hett. There is a hardly a place without a rock in sight on his property.
Trailer fire torches cars on US-50
A car transport trailer caught fire Sunday on US-50 west of Peabody, destroying four vehicles and snarling traffic for hours, while the semi cab and driver disappeared from the scene. The westbound trailer was on the north side of the highway in the passing lane section near the county line, cars ablaze, when sergeant Mike Ottensmeier described part of the scene to a dispatcher as he arrived at about 3:14 p.m.
Roads, roads, roads on brain for commissioners
Even with prior road superintendent Randy Crawford out of the picture, roads are still a hot topic. With commissioner Lori Lalouette absent, commissioners Dan Holub and Randy Dallke discussed on Monday the abundance of traffic on 190th and Wagonwheel Rds. from an excessive amount of through traffic due to the construction of the US-56/77 roundabout.
Tax changes may have limited impact
Tucked away in a budget bill passed in the spring legislative session were changes to Kansas’ personal income tax rules that could mean some people will pay more when they file their 2015 returns. State taxpayers will be able to deduct just 50 percent of what they paid in 2014 for mortgage interest and taxes on real and personal property. Charitable donations can be deducted at 100 percent, and all other deductions have been eliminated.
A welder with a soft side
Not just anyone would see beauty in a bucket of old horseshoes, but Hillsboro welder Kevin Bernhardt did. “You can make just about anything out of metal,” Bernhardt said. “One of the first things I made from those horseshoes was tulips for my mom last Christmas. She cried when she saw them.”

AUTO

Family ties make vintage Impala special
The love for a classic car is often simply for the car itself. Sometimes it’s for the memories it evokes. And sometimes, as with Mark Harms of Lincolnville, it’s both.
Child car seats are ticket to safe trip
The days of tossing the kids in the car like luggage and leaving them free to roam about the cab are legally in the past. Child car seats and car seat safety laws evolved from common sense as a way to protect children.

DEATHS

Shirley Heyland
Shirley C. Heyland, 92, widow of former Peabody resident Herman “Hank” Heyland, died in Wichita on Oct. 23. She was born in Barnesville, Minnesota and moved to Wichita in 1938. A 1941 graduate of East High, she went to work for Trans World Airlines. There she met Heyland and they were married in 1946.
W.R. Holdeman
Former barber W.R. “Bill” Holdeman, 91, Marion, died Oct. 20 at home. He was born Dec. 23, 1923, to Joseph and Esther (Luginbill) Holdeman at Rich Hill, Missouri. He attended Halstead schools. He served with the Marine Corps during World War II, and received a Purple Heart for wounds incurred during combat.
George Schimpf
George H. Schimpf, 86, died Oct. 23 at Peabody Health and Rehabilitation. A graveside service was Tuesday at the Lincolnville Cemetery.
Richard Stroup
Former locomotive engineer Richard L. “Rich” Stroup, 68, died Oct. 21 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. A memorial service was Sunday at Florence United Methodist Church. A second memorial service was held on Tuesday in Frankfort, Indiana.
Ida Wendt
Ida Mae Wendt, 79, sister of Valera Hamm of Durham, died Oct. 24 at the Kenwood View Health and Rehabilitation Center in Salina. Funeral service was to be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Herington, with burial following at Sunset Hill Cemetery. The family received friends Tuesday at the Zeiner Funeral Home Herington Chapel.
IN MEMORIAM:
Keith D. Harsh
IN MEMORIAM:
Ronald Kieferle
IN MEMORIAM:
Johnny Webster

DOCKET

OPINION

My first Peabody Halloween
One of the great things about this job is that I get to share my thoughts with all of you every week. I admit that some weeks it is tough to come up with a topic. During other weeks, I could comment on half a dozen topics I think would of great interest to the Peabody community. I have lived here a long time and there are things I know — simple as that. No one ever thought I would be pounding out an opinion column every week, right? Shoot, I never thought I would be pounding out an opinion column every week. However, now that I am, I am often tempted to share some of that secret stuff with you. There is a side of me that would love to “rat out” some of my favorite offenders. Scary, huh? I probably will never do that, but there are tales of the past I can share. Some involve the history of Halloween and what better time to share that with you?
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS:
Hymn sing
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:
Road barriers

PEOPLE

Sorosis Beta hears of Avery's trip
Members of the Sorosis Beta Club learned of the death of Joe Stucky at a meeting Oct. 15 at the home of Sherri Gerety. It was decided to send a gift to his memorial. Gerety gave devotions, and the club was reminded to bring a pair of shoes for the next brown bag exchange.
Democratic women honor Fork Day
Marion County Democratic Women met at Marion Senior Center on Oct. 23. They participated in National Fork Day with trivia and song. Sue Clough conducted the business meeting.
Timm to celebrate 90th birthday
A card shower has been requested for the 90th birthday Sunday of Mary Ann Barrett Avery Timm. Cards may be sent to her in care of St. Luke Living Center, 535 S Freeborn St, Marion KS 66861.
Deines family meets for 30th reunion
The family of Phillip Deines Sr. met for its 30th annual reunion Oct. 11 at the Lincolnville Community Building. The Ort Deines family of the Chris Deines Sr. family were hosts.
BURNS:
Residents attend county meeting
WONSEVU:
Williams family, Lang visit Emporia for belated birthday
DAYS OF YORE:
10, 25, 50, 100, 125 years ago

SCHOOL AND SPORTS

2 Warriors injured at senior night
Peabody-Burns celebrated senior night at Friday’s game, however two seniors weren’t celebrating the injuries they sustained during the game. “We lost some key guys tonight,” head coach David Pickens said, “and our hearts are with them.”
Lady Warriors shoot down Falcons, lose to Bluebirds
Peabody-Burns Lady Warriors didn’t end their season without a fight. The Warriors faced the Fairfield Falcons on Saturday at sub-state, and battled to their ninth win of the season.
USD 398 plans town hall meeting
Peabody-Burns Middle and High School will be hosting a town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2. Each Peabody-Burns Middle and High School student in attendance will be given a certificate to arrive to school 15 minutes late on Nov. 6 and an additional 15 minutes for each person they bring for up to one hour.
7th grader raises money to fight cancer
Alyssa Espinoza, a seventh-grader at Centre, recently completed a breast cancer awareness project as part of her enrichment class. At the homecoming game Oct. 16, she sold pink helium balloons, cupcakes, stickers, and lemonade to promote breast cancer awareness in the Centre community.
Business idea contest searches for high school contestants
Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge, organized by Kansas State University’s Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship, is seeking high school students from around the state with innovative business ideas to compete for a prize pool totaling $10,000. The deadline to register is March 11, with business plans due in April. Finalists will be announced April 15, and will present their plans to a panel of judges at the Kansas State University Alumni Center on Apr. 25.
School menu

UPCOMING

Calendar of Events
Free screenings offered for children
Marion County Early Intervention Services will conduct free screenings for children ages 5 and younger Nov. 10 in Goessel. Appointments, which are required, will be available from 12:30 to 3 p.m.
County 4-H Endowment meeting is Sunday
The annual meeting of the Marion County 4-H Endowment Fund will be 5 p.m. Nov. 1 in the basement of Marion Community Center. The board of directors invites everyone to this meeting to hear how the fund helped Marion County 4-H groups throughout the year.
Alternative Gift Market to be Nov. 14
The fifth annual Marion County Alternative Gift Market will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 14 at Marion Community Center. Patrons can give alternative gifts, humanitarian donations given in honor of another. Thirty projects ranging from wells in South Sudan to medicine for Burmese refugees can be donated to Alternative Gifts International.
World Community Day to be Nov. 6
World Community Day will be Nov. 6 at Valley United Methodist Church. A soup luncheon will be offered at noon, followed by a program. The theme will be “Our Journey Together” and will feature mission and community service projects from local churches.
Holiday cooking class planned
Hillsboro Recreation Commission and chef Rob Scott will be holding a cooking class titled “Cooking Around the Holidays” from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 9 in the Hillsboro Middle and High School teacher’s workroom. The class is for high school freshman through adults who are looking for creative ideas of cooking.

PEABODY Gazette-Bulletin

Lifelong Peabody resident Keith Harsh, 80, died Friday in a fire at his house. Trisha Oursler has lived next-door to Harsh all of her life. On Friday, Oursler was taking a break from her job at Pop’s Diner when she had what was unknowingly her final encounter with Harsh.

County commissioners fired paramedic Larry Larsen from Peabody’s ambulance crew Monday. An unscheduled executive session was tacked on to the published agenda, and Larsen was summoned to appear along with county attorney Susan Robson.

If ever there was a patron saint of stones in Marion County, it would be Steve Hett. There is a hardly a place without a rock in sight on his property.

The love for a classic car is often simply for the car itself. Sometimes it’s for the memories it evokes. And sometimes, as with Mark Harms of Lincolnville, it’s both.

The days of tossing the kids in the car like luggage and leaving them free to roam about the cab are legally in the past. Child car seats and car seat safety laws evolved from common sense as a way to protect children.

George H. Schimpf, 86, died Oct. 23 at Peabody Health and Rehabilitation. A graveside service was Tuesday at the Lincolnville Cemetery.

Former locomotive engineer Richard L. “Rich” Stroup, 68, died Oct. 21 at Wesley Medical Center, Wichita. A memorial service was Sunday at Florence United Methodist Church. A second memorial service was held on Tuesday in Frankfort, Indiana.

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

IN MEMORIAM:

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS:

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR:

Members of the Sorosis Beta Club learned of the death of Joe Stucky at a meeting Oct. 15 at the home of Sherri Gerety. It was decided to send a gift to his memorial. Gerety gave devotions, and the club was reminded to bring a pair of shoes for the next brown bag exchange.

Marion County Democratic Women met at Marion Senior Center on Oct. 23. They participated in National Fork Day with trivia and song. Sue Clough conducted the business meeting.

A card shower has been requested for the 90th birthday Sunday of Mary Ann Barrett Avery Timm. Cards may be sent to her in care of St. Luke Living Center, 535 S Freeborn St, Marion KS 66861.

The family of Phillip Deines Sr. met for its 30th annual reunion Oct. 11 at the Lincolnville Community Building. The Ort Deines family of the Chris Deines Sr. family were hosts.

BURNS:

WONSEVU:

DAYS OF YORE:

Peabody-Burns celebrated senior night at Friday’s game, however two seniors weren’t celebrating the injuries they sustained during the game. “We lost some key guys tonight,” head coach David Pickens said, “and our hearts are with them.”

Peabody-Burns Lady Warriors didn’t end their season without a fight. The Warriors faced the Fairfield Falcons on Saturday at sub-state, and battled to their ninth win of the season.

Alyssa Espinoza, a seventh-grader at Centre, recently completed a breast cancer awareness project as part of her enrichment class. At the homecoming game Oct. 16, she sold pink helium balloons, cupcakes, stickers, and lemonade to promote breast cancer awareness in the Centre community.

Marion County Early Intervention Services will conduct free screenings for children ages 5 and younger Nov. 10 in Goessel. Appointments, which are required, will be available from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

The annual meeting of the Marion County 4-H Endowment Fund will be 5 p.m. Nov. 1 in the basement of Marion Community Center. The board of directors invites everyone to this meeting to hear how the fund helped Marion County 4-H groups throughout the year.

World Community Day will be Nov. 6 at Valley United Methodist Church. A soup luncheon will be offered at noon, followed by a program. The theme will be “Our Journey Together” and will feature mission and community service projects from local churches.